Millennials – A Prodigal Generation

Mentoring Millennials-

Mentoring and discipling the next generation of the church is interesting to me, so we better do everything we can as lead pastors to train the millennials and equip them as our future leaders. This young generation is not looking for church as usual. Forget lights, fog and loud music to lure them in. They want what is authentic and real . . . in other words, be transparent if you desire to lead this bunch. A hipper pastor is not what they are after; tell them about a bigger God to catch their attention and just be real with them.

You cannot advertise with slick brochures and catchy mailouts to attract these guys into your church. If you are going to lead them, they want your whole story, where the church is headed and no sugarcoating it! Tell it the way it is.

Millennials want to answer two questions: Where am I and what is expected of me? So, keep it simple when they come in from the parking lot and find their worship space. You will not have many chances to capture their attention.

As lead pastor of Christwalk Church, I am continuously finding my approach and delivery changing. The gospel always remains amazingly the same but how it is delivered must be considered when it comes to your audience.

In our church and ministry center in Cornelia, Georgia, I have noticed a fast growing faction of attenders and it is the millennials generation.

I believe it definitely has something to do with the fact that Donna and I started this ministry with our children and their significant others and it just so happens they are millennials . . . all but Tanner who is 12. However, I also believe it has something to do with taking time out to try to get to know them and what makes them tick. My favorite thing is to go eat a meal with a group of them and soak up their conversations.

Millennials Need To Be Heard-

Jonah Norman will begin to co-author the upcoming Sure Peg blogs with me. Many of you already know Jonah because he is a part of our original ministry team and will be marrying our daughter, Emilee, on August 5th. What you may not know about Jonah is he is a gifted writer and of course, a member of the millennial generation.

Jonah writes spoken words weekly to reinforce my messages to our Christwalk family. I told him earlier this week that the messages God is giving him needs to be heard by more listeners.

The next part of this blog is one of Jonah’s spoken words written to his generation. As I have read it multiple times now, I find it speaking to me, and I am approaching the big 50. With that being said, Generation X and Baby Boomers, read between the lines.

Millennials: A Prodigal Generation

by Jonah Norman

So, apparently Studies show That my generation is the craziest We’re The least motivated And though we are highly educated We are, somehow, the laziest.

We live unaware of the world around us And we’re easily hurt Continuously mesmerized by a virtual reality And still finding no place in our real life For an all involved virtuality We have not loved God and hated wickedness We have not let the words of our mouth & meditations of our heart be acceptable in his sight We have ignored the life that ended on the cross Rose from the grave And started on that “O Holy Night”

We, as a culture, fuel the idea that things should be handed to us This, in every way, hinders a pure understanding of the gospel Like, you say you love Jesus But you’re not giving anything up Yet you still expect a true salvation Listen, i’ve had enough

My Jesus came to heal the sick And save the sinners And in his revelation to me I’ve seen Those two are the same thing

I’m in the business of seeing blind eyes opened Both Figuratively and literally Physically and spiritually And I’m all about the truth So, my message is Biblical

I’m not sugar coating Or cerakoting I won’t cover nothing up See This isn’t MY flow Its overflow From the water in my cup

Follow me? Kuz my cup runneth over And when Jesus called I came running Like the ultimate game of red-rover Now I’m hooked

But I wasn’t always For a while I was just doing “me” Satisfied with what I thought was fun Selfish, fleshly desires And though after the occasional youth conference or camp I was wired… That would soon fizzle out

My spirit man was living in a desert I’m talking a hot blistering drought So i’ll let it all hang out I’m a sinner But please Before you tune me out for my transparency Or wrinkle your face Allow me a moment Because my message Is grace

See I find that the beauty in ministry is understanding this truth those who preach and share the Word of God and His grace are not perfect. Nor do they themselves deserve it

This thought that God ONLY speaks through perfect people lessens His power and distances us from his voice.

That being said, I, in every sense of the word refuse to be a stereo-type A part of the failing percent

A socially insecure Publically educated zombie Who eats cheetos And can’t pay his own rent I’m sick of it

The world needs change And if the older guys won’t step up Why not one my age There’s a fire in the works Sparks are beginning to fly Miracles, signs, and wonders Flames in the sky

I pray that when I speak not a single word is mine, but EVERY syllable is that of my Creator.

We spend too many words and minutes on selfish acts And if we can sacrifice both of these now Just so that ONE MORE might see Then i count it as a win

So in crouds of 5, 50, or 5,000 I stand up with a grin Put the mic at my chin And i proclaim

My name was sinner But now my names new By grace Through Faith Not my own power Not my own ways But His

So, I lift my hands high Ill raise my voice Ill fight Ill die For my king The creator of the world Lover of my soul I was beaten I was broken But He made me whole

So don’t miss your shot His arms are wide-open You can pretend you got it together Or you can admit your broken Whether you’re top dog Or never been chosen This is your day

This is the time We are the people It’s NOW Not later It’s us It’s TODAY LETS MOVE

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Lead/Founding Pastor Christwalk International Ministries,Inc.

Chip Woodall has been in full-time ministry for 20 years. He was licensed in 2002 and ordained in 2005. He has received calls to three church staffs and served in the areas of children, students, college and career, recreation and sports as well as family ministry.